Moving house can be an exciting time, and it gives you the chance to start fresh in a brand new space. But selling can be a hassle, especially when you’re trying to boost the value before you sell.

Thankfully, by investing in small changes to your property, you can boost the overall value of your home, ensuring you get as much as possible from the sale. Here, we’ll go through some easy ways to instantly add value to your home, and improve your chances of getting it off the market more quickly.

Create kerb appeal

While having a tidy front yard attracts more viewers to your house, keeping the rest of the exterior sparkling can have a huge effect. A survey of homebuyers by Barclays found that 44% of buyers would take 20% off an asking price if the exterior was untidy, while 35% won’t even enter a property if they weren’t happy with the outside. Having a well-kept garden, double glazing, and even a parking space can have a positive impact on a buyers’ decision. To make your home really pop out, consider a fresh coat of paint on the outer walls or the front door, both of which could make your house look brand new.

Declutter and tidy the space

When moving house you have the opportunity to get rid of all the clutter you’ve accumulated over the years. Be ruthless when throwing things away and decluttering, as this will also make it easier for you to move. You want to show off the space as much as you can, while keeping your home as neutral as possible. Let viewers imagine how they can decorate the house. Although this can be tough, after years of tailoring the space to suit your tastes and needs, you’ll eventually have to pack up your belongings anyway, and buyers may have a hard time looking past personal photographs and family heirlooms.

It can be difficult to give your home a deep clean, which is why many people hire professional cleaners. You could go one step further and call in a house clearance company, who as well as cleaning, will declutter your home by removing household items, and even tidy your garden, which can massively improve the outside of your home.

Fix any issues

There is a difference between selling a home in a lived-in condition and trying to sell a home that’s in need of repairs. Things like holes in the wall, leaky taps, doors that don’t close properly, and cracked tiles are all easily fixed, and can make or break a sale. If you’re not looking to invest a lot of money in doing your house up, you may want to keep these repairs as simple as you can.

Real estate experts Homelight suggest things like faulty wiring, roof problems, heating, and plumbing are absolute must-fixes before selling your house, and these too can be simple enough repair jobs. Discuss any repairs with your agent first, though, to ensure that they will actually improve the value of your home.

Update valuable rooms around the house—if you can

Some of the more valuable rooms around the house include the kitchen and bathrooms. With some upgrades, you can wind up adding a few thousand onto the value of your house. Removing an internal wall to create an open plan kitchen and dining area can add almost £50,000 to an average London home, while investing in kitchen improvements such as flooring, worktops, and cabinet doors can add over £25,000. However, it’s important that you only add these improvements if you can afford them.

If you have the funds, you may even consider installing a new bathroom, which could add 3-5% to your home’s original value. Save money by buying bathroom suites rather than individual pieces, and by keeping an eye out for seasonal sales. If you can’t afford a new bathroom, simply update your current bathrooms with new light fixtures and tiles, making it look as fresh and hygienic as possible. You should replace existing sanitary ware if it’s discoloured, badly stained, or chipped.

Stage your home for a speedy sale

Staging your home involves small tricks that help lure in potential buyers. There are companies dedicated to doing this for you when you’re ready to sell. However, if it’s not within your budget to do this, there are little things you can do yourself to make your home even more appealing and help it to sell faster. A survey found that 96% of realtors agree that buyers are positively affected by house stagings. If you want to stage your house, consider using white cotton sheets to style beds, along with neutral throws and cushions in bedrooms and living rooms. Try and keep accessories such as rugs within a similar, neutral colour palette, regardless of the room.

Use natural light, or white lampshades, when you can, to keep your property bright and fresh. Add splashes of colour with plants and flowers, which can help bring the room to life, and add a fresh smell. Bad smells are one of the big turn-offs for house buyers, so make sure your bins are empty, your drains clear, and your bed sheets fresh. If you can, bake some fresh bread, cakes, or cookies for viewers, to add an alluring smell to the entire house. However, if you aren’t one for baking, simply lighting some scented candles gives a similar effect. Small touches like this could make or break a deal.

While it’s getting more and more difficult to sell a property, it can be done if you prepare your house correctly. Ensuring that everything is neat and tidy, and that there are minimal issues around the house, can help towards getting your property on and off the market as quickly as possible.